1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a composite facsimile apparatus and in particular relates to a composite facsimile apparatus having not only a facsimile function but also duplication function.
2. Related Art
A facsimile apparatus in which another operation may be performed as a result of interrupting a currently performed operation is well known. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No.4-13368 discloses an apparatus in which a currently performed facsimile transmission operation is halted due to a certain interruption and after the operation started by the interruption has been completed, the halted operation is then restarted by using the relevant destination address stored appropriately. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No.4-8065 discloses an apparatus in which facsimile received data memory input of facsimile received contents takes priority over data memory for facsimile transmission. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No.2-235076 discloses an apparatus on which an interruption/reservation key is provided for improving operation efficiency. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No.1-292966 discloses an apparatus in which an operation to be started due to interruption takes priority over a currently performed operation and the thus interrupted currently performed operation is then started immediately after the completion of the operation started due to the interruption.
In addition, the following apparatuses are disclosed:
(1) In the apparatus of Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No.4-134965, a case is handled in which image information for one image stored in a memory has a plurality of specified destination addresses. After completion of the image data transmission for a certain destination address, interruption is allowed to be performed. After the completion of the operation started due to the interruption, the image information is transmitted to another destination address selected in accordance with the priority level. PA1 (2) In Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No.2-65559 apparatus, transmission operation takes priority over receiving operation by setting transmission priority mode. In this mode, automatic receiving is inhibited and transmission specification data is saved. PA1 (3) In Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No.62-209972 apparatus, an interruption mode and reservation mode are provided. These modes are effectively used so that waiting time will be reduced as much as possible and an urgent document will be transmitted with priority. PA1 (4) In Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No.4-276767 apparatus, transmission selecting means is used to arbitrarily select from among an interruption mode, waiting mode, and rejection mode. The operator may select the interruption mode if the operator is not in a hurry to carry out document duplication with the relevant apparatus. Thus, priority is given to a printer (using data provided by a host computer, for example) operation in the apparatus. PA1 (5) In Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No.4-335661, a composite apparatus has a printer function (using data provided by a host computer, for example) as well as a duplicator function. A composite mode is used in which a document which has been printed by the printer function is carried to an appropriate position such that the carried document may be used as an original in the duplicator function. If such a composite mode operation is specified during printer or duplicator independent mode operation being performed, the specified composite mode operation is delayed until the independent mode operation is completed. PA1 (6) In the apparatus of Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No.4-315368, when a priority printing instruction is set, allowability of actual priority printing operation is discussed between the facsimile apparatuses in both sides in the suitable protocol. If the permission is determined as a result of the discussion, priority is given to a desired image information to be printed first over a previously received image information. PA1 (7) In Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No.4-8056 apparatus, if memory data transmission is interrupted so as to input data to the relevant memory, the relevant memory data transmission is halted and dummy data is transmitted during the data input into the memory. Thus, the relevant communication line is saved for the purpose that the halted memory data transmission will be immediately started after the completion of the interrupting data input operation. (8) The apparatus of Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No.62-281569 stores data indicating a destination address to be used in document transmission. The stored destination address is effectively used for transmitting the relevant document as follows. The transmission of the relevant document may be halted by another transmission operation. Then, after the completion of the interrupting transmission operation, the interrupted transmission of the document is started using the stored relevant destination address.
The following methods are known in which image information transmission/receiving operation which was halted due to interruption is started after the operation started due to the interruption is completed.
Further, priority is given to facsimile transmission/receiving in these disclosed composite facsimile apparatuses. As a result, in contrast to a simple duplicator, convenient usage as a duplicator is limited in such composite facsimile apparatuses. This is because such a composite facsimile apparatus has only one device for each function of information reading, information writing, and information communicating. Thus, simultaneous usage of each device is impossible to be achieved. In one example, if a user intends to carry out document duplication in an apparatus which currently performs facsimile operation, the user is needed to wait for the completion of the facsimile operation or the user has to halt the facsimile operation. Further, the user cannot carry out document duplication while the apparatus performs managing report (for managing operations which have been performed by the relevant apparatus) output or stored information output operation. Further, document duplication operation will be halted if the apparatus automatically starts any of facsimile receiving, stored document output, and managing report output operation.
Further, recently, it is desired that such a composite facsimile apparatus is provided with improved duplicator function in with convenience level similar to a simple duplicator and also is provided with a printer function (using data provided by a host computer, for example). However, each of the disclosed apparatuses (1), (2) and (3) refers to only inter-facsimile-operation interruption operation (i.e. an operation by which one facsimile operation is interrupted by another facsimile operation). Each of the disclosed apparatuses (4) and (5) comprises a composite apparatus having only duplication function and printer function (using data provided by a host computer, for example) but not having a facsimile function. Thus, each of the apparatuses (1)-(5) cannot be applied to a recently desired composite facsimile apparatus such as described above.
Such a composite apparatus has, as mentioned above, only one resource for each system of reading system, writing system and communicating system. Problems may occur if some operations are intended to be carried out simultaneously or if one resource is needed for simultaneously processing some files.
Concretely, some files may be stored in a memory without being printed out, which files were received via facsimile. In such a case, the relevant facsimile apparatus cannot be used as a printer (using data provided by a host computer, for example) after the stored file has started to be printed out until printing out of the all the stored files has been completed. This is because the apparatus has the only one writing (printing) resource which can be used for single purpose at once.
Thus, even if the relevant composite facsimile apparatus is needed to be used as a printer immediately, it is necessary to wait for the completion of the printing out of the all the stored files. Also, if the relevant composite facsimile apparatus needs to be used as a duplicator, the user is needed to pay attention to ensure such a usage. Setting the relevant composite facsimile apparatus is not allowed so that the apparatus can be used as if the apparatus were a simple duplicator.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No.4-159848 discloses an apparatus which counts the usage frequency for each function. With the thus counted usage frequencies for the respective functions, the highest-usage-frequency function is determined. Then, the apparatus automatically sets the initial mode so that the user may use the highest-usage-frequency function immediately. However, this apparatus is not made based on an object of improving interruption function in a composite facsimile apparatus.
Further, in the above disclosed apparatus (6), an information file, the reception of which had been interrupted, has its reception restarted after the operation started due to the interruption. However, this refers only to priority to be given to a facsimile receiving operation over another facsimile receiving operation. Thus, the relevant technology cannot be applied tea composite facsimile apparatus. Further, in a case where a currently received image printing operation or a previously received and stored image printing operation is halted by the interruption and the memory has previously stored some files of image information, a problem may occur due to lack of means for determining which file is to be used for being printed after completion of the operation started due to the interruption.
The above problem is further described. In a case where the memory has previously stored 5-page file A and 7-page file B, it is to be assumed that interruption occurs while the third page in the file A is being printed. After the operation (document duplication operation, for example) started due to the interruption is completed, then, since the writing (printing) system resource becomes free, the interrupted and thus halted printing operation is to be restarted.
In this case, since the above file A was already started and then was printed, although partially (1-3 pages of five pages), the subsequent file B is then selected to be printed. As a result, the seven pages of file B are stacked on the already printed and then stacked first three pages of file A. Then, after that, the remaining two pages, fourth page and fifth page of file A is stacked on the seven pages of file B. Thus, due to the interruption, the correct page stacking order could not be achieved.
Further, each of the above disclosed apparatuses (7) and (8) transmits an image information file which was once started to be transmitted and then halted due to interruption. However, this refers only to priority to be given to a facsimile transmission operation over another facsimile transmission operation. Thus, the relevant technology cannot be applied to a composite facsimile apparatus.